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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-.Sheet '1.

T.E.AD AMS. HANGER BOARD FOR ELECTRIC ARGLAMPS.

No. 547,106. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

(No Model.)

T. E. ADAMS. HANGER BOARD FOR ELECTRIC ARG LAMPS.

No. 547,106. Patented Oct. 1, 1895.

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T. E. ADAMS. V HANGER BOARD FOR ELECTRIC ARC LAMPS.

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No. 547,106. Patented Oct. 1,1895.

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AN DRiW B GRAHAMJHDTO-LITMKWASHI NGTUPLD C UNITED STATES PATENT Crates,

THOMAS E. ADAMS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE ADAMS- BAGNALLELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HANGER-BOARD FOR ELECTRIC-ARC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,106, dated October1, 1895.

Application filed July 17, 1895. $erial No. 556,269- (No modeLl To allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. ADAMS, a resident of Cleveland, in thecounty of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Hanger- Boards for Electric Lamps; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in hanger-boards for electric-arclamps, and more particularly to such as are adapted for suspendingseries of electric-arc lamps, one object of the invention being toproduce a hangerboard which shall be wholly non-combustible.

A further object is to construct a hangerboard in such manner that thelamp will be effectually supported thereby independently of theconductors.

A further object is to provide a hangerboard with ready means whereby toswitch the lamp into circuit and to so switch it out of circuit that itwill be effectually shut off from all electrical connection with thelamp.

A further object is to so construct the switch devices of a hanger boardthat they can be operated by an endwise movement of a pole to eitherclose or open the circuit through the lamp.

A further object is to so construct the switch devices of an-arc lamphanger-board that should the lamp become open-circuited the arcs formedin the switch in consequence of such open-circuiting of the lamp willserve to cause the switch to become closed and the lamp short-circuited.

With these objects in View the invention consists in certain novelfeatures of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter setforth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of myimproved hangerboard. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views. Fig. 6 is anedge view showing a modification.

A represents a base-plate, of iron or other suitable metal, madepreferably with a series of arms a a b 0, each having perforations d forthe accommodation'of suitable fastening devices, whereby the hanger canbe secured to the ceiling of the room in whichthe lamp is to besuspended. An arm 1 is secured to the base-plate A and is effectuallyinsulated therefrom by means of mica 2 or other suitable material. Thearm 1 depends from the base-plate and terminates in a hook 3 for thereception of a ring or loop on the chimney of the lamp to be suspended.From the arm I) of the base-plate lugs 44 depend, and between these lugsthe arms 5 5 of a bifurcated lever B are disposed and to which said armsare pivotally connected by means of a rod 6, which passes through saidlugs and arms at points in proximity to their ends. The lever Bisnormally disposed practically parallel with the base-plate, and betweenthe arms 5 5 of the lever the hooked arm 1, by which the lamp issupported, projects. The arms 5 5 of the lever are made between theirends with aligned transverse perforations 6 for the accommodation ofsleeves 7 7, of porcelain or other suitable insulating material, throughwhich a conducting-bar C passes. To prevent the sleeves 7 from turning,they are provided with ribs 7 to enter recesses 7 in the I walls of theperforations 6.

The bar C projects somewhatubeyond the outer ends of theinsulating-sleeves and is provided at both ends with metallic collars 7,whereby to prevent its longitudinal movement in said sleeves. Theinsulating-sleeves 7 are made at their ends with collars or flanges 8 9,between which metallic collars 10 are located, each of said collars 10being made in two parts, provided with perforated lugs 11 for thereception of screws 12 or other fastening devices. The upper part ofeach collar 10 is made with a contact-arm 13, which projects laterallybeyond the end of the conducting-bar C, and on each arm 13 a socketedboss or binding-post 14 is cast for the reception of the electricconductors connected with the terminals of the lamp, the conductorsbeing secured in said bosses or binding-posts by means of screws orotherwise.

Insulators 15, of porcelain or other suitable material, are secured tothe arms a of the base A and preferably electrically separated there-10o (lit . placed.

from by means of strips 16, of mica or other insulating material.Between each pair of insulators 15 a metallic plate or bar 17 isdisposed,its ends being made to enter the grooves of the insulators andbifurcated to partially embrace the same. Each plate or bar 17 is madewith an enlargement 18, having holes 19 20, the holes 19 being for thereception of the leading-in wires, which are secured therein by means ofscrews 21 or in any other suitable manner. The purpose of the holes 20will be hereinafter explained.

To each plate or bar 1'7 a contact-spring 22 is secured. The upper endsof the springs 22 at points in proximity to where they are secured tothe plates or bars 17 are bent to form loops 23, whereby to impart ampleelasticity to them. The contact-springs 22 are made of some length andare adapted when the lever B is in its lowest position to make contactwith the ends of the conducting-bar G, and thus short-circuit the lampand effectually shut the latter off from all electrical connection. Thelower ends of the contact-springs are bent outwardly to form curved lips24, so that when the lever B is moved upwardly the contact-arms 13 willengage said lips and force the springs 22 out of contact with theconducting-bar O, and thus switch the lamp into circuit. The lever B ismade with an arm or shank 25, which projects beyond the edge of thebase-plate and through a yoke 26, depending from the baseplate, by meansof which yoke the downward movement of the lever is limited. flhe arm orshank 25 is made in its under face with a groove whereby to form a lip27, adapted when the lever is raised to switch the lamp into circuit toengage a shoulder 28 on the yoke 26 and thus retain the lever inposition to maintain the arms 13 in contact with the springs 22. Inorder to provide ready means for operating the lever to out the lampinto and out of circuit and avoid danger incident to the use oflaterally-movable switch-levers, which are in most cases operated bymeans of a long pole, I secure to the free end of the arm or shank 25 ofthe lever B a cup-shaped or dished block 29, of wood or other suitablematerial, into which the end of a pole can be If it be desired to raisethe lever so as to cut the lamp out of circuit, the operator will placethe end of a pole in the dished block 29 and push upwardly and slightlylaterally, so as to cause the engagement of the lip 27 with the shoulder28. When the lever is to be lowered, the operator will push upwardlyagainst the dished block, so as to raise the lip 27 off of the shoulder28, whereupon the lever will be moved laterally by means of one of thecontact-springs 22. The removal of the pole will now permit the lever todrop and the lamp will be then switched out of circuit. In order topermit the lateral movement of the lever necessary to cause the en=-gagement of the lip 27 and shoulder 28, the

hole in one of the arms 5 of the lever, through which the hinge-pinpasses, is made slightly elongated, and said hinge-pin passes looselythrough the hole in the other arm 5. The contact-arms 13 are preferablyrounded at their ends, so as to make proper contact with the curved lipson the contact-springs without undue friction, and said contact-springsare so disposed relative to the arms 13 and the conductingbar that whenthe lever Bis moved in one direction or the other they will makeelectrical contact with one part before breaking contact with the otherpart, and thus avoid sparking between said contact-springs, arms, andbar. I From the construction and arrangement of parts above described itwill be seen that when the lever B is moved upwardly and thecontact-arms 13 force the contact-springs 22 out of contact with theconducting-bar C, so as to switch the lamp into circuit, the air-gapbetween the springs 22 and the ends of the conducting-bar C will bequite short, Now should there be any defect in the mechanism of thelamp, so that the carbons will not properly feed, and in consequencethereof the lamp shall become open-circuited, the only path left for thecurrent will be through said air-gaps, and arcs will therefore be foundbetween the contact-springs and the ends of the conducting-oar. The heatfrom these arcs will act to fuse or soften portions of the springs, butportions only. Said springs being made quite long and being providednear their upper ends with loops, the said upper portions of the springswill maintain their elasticity and the lower fused or softened portionswill, by means of such elasticity of the upper portions of the springs,be forced into contact with the conducting-bar C, and theshort-circuiting of the lanp will become complete and the arcs abovementioned destroyed. In or der to prevent the continuance of the arcsbetween the contact-springs and conductingbar for such a length of timeas to unduly shorten the contact-springs, so as to render the latter ofinsufficient length to reach the conducting-bar, and to insure theprompt engagement of the contact-springs with the conducting-bar as soonas the former shall have become sufficiently pliable to bend, I preferto employ a supplemental spring 31 behind each contact-spring 22 and toso bend the springs 31 that they will tend to force the contact-springsagainst the conducting-bar. Under ordinary circumstances thesesupplemental springs may not be found necessary, but they act assafeguards in case of defects in the construction of the device and whenthe contact-springs are not of proper length. Should the lamp becomeopeu-circuited and the contact-springs be rendered defective anduseless, as above explained, neither the lamp nor the switch devices canbe again operated until they shall have been repaired, and during thisoperation the hanger-board and lamp must be cut out of circuit For thispurpose the holes 20 in the enlargements 18 are provided for thereception of the ends of a wire IIO loop. Thus it will be seen that themechanism of the lamp can be repaired and the contact-springs 22replaced by new ones without the necessity of removing either the lampor the hanger-board.

Some arclamps are not suspended by means of the chimney, but areprovided with hooks 32 on the frame of the lamp and rods connected withthese hooks, as shown in Fig. 6. When my improved hanger-board is to beused to support such lamps, the sockets in the bosses or binding-postslet may be screwthreaded for the reception of the screw-threaded upperends of said rods, which latter are electrical conductors.

Numerous slight changes might be made in the details of construction ofmy invention Without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting itsscope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details ofconstruction herein shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with astationary part and contact springs secured thereto and adapted to beconnected with the line, of a movable part, contact arms carried by themovable part and adapted to be electrically connected with the lamp andto engage said contact springs to include the lamp in circuit and aconducting bar carried by'the movable partand adapted to be engaged bysaid contact springs to short circuit the lamp, substantially as setforth.

2. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a fixedpart and amovable part, of contact springs on the fixed part, ashort-circuiting conducting bar carried by the movable part and adaptedto be engaged by said contact springs, and contact arms carried by themovable part and adapted to be electrically connected with the lamp,said contact arms being constructed and adapted to engage the contactsprings and force them out of contact with the short-circuitingconducting bar and include the lamp in circuit substantially as setforth.

3. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a fixedpart and a movable part,of a conducting bar carried by the movable part,contact arms carried by the movable part and projecting beyond the endsof the conducting bar, and contact springs on the stationary partadapted to engage the contact arms and the ends of the conducting barsuccessively as the movable part is moved, substantially as set forth.

a. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with astationary part and a mov' able part, of depending contact springs onthe stationary part adapted to be connected with the line, a conductingbar carried by the movable part between said contact springs, contactarms on the movable part projecting beyond the ends of the conductingbar and adapted to force the contact springs away from the ends of theconducting bar so as to form air gaps between said springs and bar, andmeans for electrically connecting said contact arms with the lamp, saidcontact springs being so constructed that should the lamp beopen-circuited so that arcs will be formed in said air gaps between thecontact springs and conducting bar, the contact springs will fuse orsoften at one point and retain sufficient resilience at another point toforce themselves into contact with the conducting bar and short-circuitthe lamp, substantially as set forth.

5. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a fixedpart and a movable part, contact arms on the movable part, a conductingbar carried by the movable part, plates secured to and insulated fromthe stationary part and contact springs having loops near their upperends, secured to said plates and adapted to engage said contact arms andconducting bar, substantially as set forth.

6. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a fixedpart and a movable part, of a conducting bar carried by the movablepart, contact arms carried by the movable part, and contact springssecured to the fixed part and adapted to engage said contact arms andconducting bar successively and supplemental springs constructed andadapted to force the contact springs against the conducting bar whenportions of said contact springs become fused or softened on account ofan are between them and the conducting bar, substantially as set forth.

7. In a hanger board for electric lamps the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of switch devices mountedon said base plate and lever, a yoke through which the end of the leverprojects and for which it constitutes a stop to limit its downwardmovement, and a shoulder on the yoke to be engaged by the lever toretain the latter in its elevated position, substantially as set forth.

8. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto so as to have slightlateral play, of switch devices mounted on said base and lever, a yokethrough which the lever projects, a lip on the lever and a shoulder atthe upper end of the yoke to receive said lip and retain the leverelevated, substantially as set forth.

9. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of switch devices mountedon said base and lever, means for limiting the downward movement of thelever, means for retaining the lever in its ele-= vated position, and acup-shaped or dished block secured to the free end of said lever,substantially as set forth.

10. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate, a lever pivotally connected thereto and insulators arranged inpairs at opposite sides of said lever,

of metallic plates connected between the insulators of each pair,contact springs secured to and depending from said metallic plates,binding posts integral with said metallic plates for the reception ofthe line wires, and con tact arms carried by the lever and adapted toengage said depending contact springs, substantially as set forth.

11. In a hanger beard for electric lamps, the combination With a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of insulators secured tothe base plate and having grooved walls, plates disposed between saidinsulators and having bifurcated ends to enter said grooves, contactsprings secured to said plates and depending therefrom and contactdevices carried by said lever and adapted to be engaged by said contactsprings, substantially as set forth.

12. In ahanger board for electric lamps, the combination With a baseplate and a bifurcated lever pivotally connected to said base plate,switch devices mounted on said base plate and lever and adapted to beconnected respectively with the line and the lamp, and a hooked armsecured to the base and depending therefrom through said bifurcatedlever, substantially as set forth.

13. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of insulating sleevesmounted in said lever, a conducting bar passing through said insulatingsleeves and contact springs secured to the base plate and adapted toengage the ends of said bar, substantially as set forth.

14. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of transverse insulatingsleeves carried by said lever, collars 011 said sleeves, contact armsprojecting from said collars and adapted to be connected with theterminals of the lamp and contact springs on the base plate adapted toengage said contact arms, substantially as set forth.

15. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of transverse insulatingsleeves carried by said lever, metallic collars secured to said sleeves,contact arms projecting laterally from said collars, binding postsdepending from said contact arms for the reception of the conductors tothe lamp, and contact springs on the base plate adapted to engage saidcontact arms, substantially as set forth.

16. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and alever pivotally connected thereto, of transverse insulatingsleeves carried by said lever, a conducting bar passing through saidsleeves, collars on the outer ends of said insulating sleeves, metalliccollars between the insulating collars, contact arms projectinglaterally from said metallic collars, and contact springs on the baseplate adapted to engage said contact arms and conducting barsuccessively, substantially as set forth.

17. In a hanger board for electric lamps, the combination with a baseplate and a lever pivotally connected thereto, of contact arms carriedby and insulated from the lever, means for electrically connecting saidcontact arms With the terminals of the lamp, a transverse conducting barcarried by and insulated from the lever, plates secured to and insulatedfrom the base plate, springs secured to said plates and adapted toengage the c011- tact arms and the ends of the conductingbarsuccessively and two binding posts on each of said insulated plates, onebinding post on each plate being for the reception of leadingin Wire,and the other binding posts on said plates being for the reception ofthe ends of a loop Wire around the hanger board and lamp, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS E. ADAMS.

W'itnesses:

R. S. FERGUSON, S. W. FOSTER.

